Orchid Blog

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Welcome to the World of Orchids!

Orchids have a magical beauty and allure, with incredible colors,
shapes, and scents. Maybe this contributes to the belief that they
are difficult to grow and bloom. In reality, most orchids are not
difficult plants. As a matter of fact, some are practically
indestructible. With a few basic tips for orchid care, you can make
your orchid grow, thrive, and bloom.

Orchids Grow All Over the World

Over 30,000 species of orchids inhabit every corner of the planet
except for the driest deserts and Antarctica. Humans have crossbred
these species to create 150,000 hybrids, with more appearing all the
time. Most
are grown for their beautiful flowers, but the seedpods of the Vanilla
orchid provide the popular flavoring. And unlike most plants, they do not grow in soil, but in the air. Their
roots attach to trees or rocks where they capture moisture and
nutrients that wash over them in the rainforest.

Orchids are Ancient Plants

Evidence
of orchids appears from the age of the dinosaurs, 120
million years ago, making them some of the first flowering plants.
Orchids are one of the largest and oldest families of plants in the
world. For centuries, people all over the world have fallen in love
with their flowers. Their bright colors, bizarre shapes, and enchanting
smells have evolved to attract pollinators. Many have a relationship
with a single type of insect or bird that can pollinate their
flowers.

Habitat Destruction Endangers Many Orchids

Orchids
in every part of the world face dangers from pollution, habitat
destruction, and global warming. Do everything you can to stop these
threats. We are already losing many of these wondrous plants forever.
Reduce what you use and recycle. Take action to stop rainforests from
being cut down or burned, or wetlands from being paved over. Only buy
plants from legitimate vendors, and never take plants from the wild.

Learning About Your Orchid

AboutOrchids.com
offers information about basic care for common orchids. They are very
diverse plants that grow in wide varieties of environments all over the
world, but this site focuses on the most common kinds of orchids
available for sale and which are best suited for beginners. If you
find that one of these tips or techniques is not working for you, check
our resources to help you do some more research about your plant to find more advanced care information.

The
first step to taking care of your orchid is learning what kind of
orchid it is. Most of the orchids commonly found for sale are hybrids
that have been created specifically for their flowers and ease of care
in homes and offices.

How do I take care of it?

Sometimes
even the most well-cared for orchids have problems with pests and
diseases. Learning what to look for and how to treat common problems
can help your orchid live longer and provide you with more flowers.